Page 20 of Forever Theirs

What the hell was that about? Had traveling to Alaska turned me into some kind of cannibal where I wanted to nibble and taste these two delicious-looking men? Because until now, I never,everhad a biting fetish, an urge to get my lips and teeth anywhere on their bodies they’d allow.

Which, apparently, they were more than open to. Maybe not the biting thing, but for sure the not choosing between them part. There were so many questions I needed answers to, though maybe not tonight. Just being around the two of them for so long, I was already hotter and hornier than I’d ever been in my life.

I wondered if they shared women as in bothdatedthe same woman or shared them together inallthe ways. My stomach did a few flips, imagining Miles and Aiden together with their sole attention on me.

Suddenly, my thick coat shifted from warm and cozy to restricting and way stifling. Popping open the few buttons I closed on our way out of the bar to fight the frosty night air, I fanned open the sides to give my overheated body a bit of reprieve. Thankfully, the truck wasn’t on, and the cab was still chilly, instantly cooling my rising body temperature.

“You okay?” Miles asked, eyeing me curiously as he cranked the engine.

“Yep, just…”Got hot thinking about you and your best friend, together, with me.“Thought it would be colder at night, so I wore my thick coat.” I licked my lips. “You sure you don’t mind driving me back?”

He nodded and leaned a forearm along the top of the steering wheel, searching, gaze locked on me. “You sure you’re okay with me driving you back, just the two of us?”

I blew out a breath and smiled. “Strangely enough, I really am. Normally, I’m suspicious around new people, which is probably why I don’t—” I cut myself off and shook my head. It was not a good idea to spill my guts about how I had no friends and was lonely as hell back in Seattle. “I feel safe with you and Aiden. Honestly, it’s nice not being here alone.” My eyes rolled to the ceiling at myself. “I know I came alone, but—ugh, I’m not making any sense, am I?”

“You are to me.” With that, he shifted the truck into Reverse and backed out of the parking spot along the road a few shops down from Dave’s. “And I think being cautious around new people is a good thing. Keeps you out of dangerous situations, especially in a big city like Seattle. What were you going to say when you cut yourself off? Which is probably why you don’t…” He trailed off and shot me an expectant look.

Yanking out the hair tie, I ran my fingers through my hair, easing the ache that always formed along my scalp after having it up too long.

“It’s kind of embarrassing,” I muttered. When he said nothing, I slumped back against the seat. “Even after fiveyears in that city, I didn’t really have any close friends. Sure, there were people at the magazine I’d say hello to or have drinks with sometimes, but nothing deep. I keep people out because it’s easier that way. Then they can’t hurt me. Don’t take that the wrong way,” I blurted out. “Nothing terrible has happened to me or wounded me deeply. I am the way I am. It’s just me, I think.” My smile slipped. “Maybe that’s why I wasn’t really upset with the whole James thing. I never really let him in, so when it officially ended, I was okay. More frustrated at myself after realizing he’d basically entangled me with him so I’d do his bidding?—”

“Fucking asshole,” Miles grumbled. Jubie sensed his frustration and shifted to lean her whole large body against him.

“I allowed it to happen,” I whispered, ashamed that I had let it go on as long as it did.

All because I was so fucking lonely that I settled for the messed-up, toxic shit that brewed between us. I wasn’t in love with him—never was. Even the infatuation faded quickly after we started working together more. I was more embarrassed than hurt that I’d let him play puppeteer with my life and career for as long as I did.

I was pathetic.

It was dumb to even imagine me with Miles and Aiden. Even though they shared women, it didn’t mean they wanted to share me. Why would they?

“But,” Miles said, stopping my self-loathing thoughts, “he was the one doing the manipulating. The fucker knew what he was doing. He’s at fault, not you.” When I didn’t answer, he slowed the truck to a stop and reached across Jubie, laying a massive hand on my knee. “Do you hear me, Aspen?”

“I hear you, but believe you?” I shrugged. “That will take time.” Clearing my throat, I forced a smirk, hoping to lighten the conversation. That was enough talk about me and my sad, insignificant life. “So, you and Aiden.”

Miles’s hand slipped away, and I instantly missed the comforting weight. My fingers itched to snatch it back and place it on my knee. Or higher.

I shook my head. It had been way too long since I’d had sex. My out-of-control libido made that as clear as a blinking neon sign.

“Been best friends since grade school, yes.” He shot a knowing smirk my way. “That was what you were talking about, right?”

“Um, not so much. Have you two always… taken part…” I waved a hand in the air. “In sharing?” I winced in embarrassment and pressed myself against the door, wishing like hell it would just open up so I could tumble out onto the snow-covered roadside. “Sorry, forget I said anything.”

“Why?” he asked, not looking away from the windshield.

“Because I’m being nosy,” I muttered under my breath. I was very interested in learning more about their lifestyle, but talking about it made me flustered as hell. My heart fluttered like a hummingbird’s wings, my palms damp with sweat, and every shift along the seat had the seam of my jeans brushing against my damp panties.

It’s now clear I should’ve brought some battery-powered items on this trip, but during my mad dash to pack, I didn’t know I would be wet and needy from the moment my boots hit the dock in Anchor Bay.

And unfortunately, I doubted this place had a sex toy shop around for an emergency purchase.

“No, we haven’t always shared women.” He rubbed at the back of his neck like he was uncomfortable. “After my time in the service, that’s when we started. Though we’d always had the same taste in women—what we were attracted to. Once we moved here and started working for Uplift, we realized we could both get what we needed, and our partner, too, if we worked together. That sounds fucked up?—”

“It doesn’t,” I blurted, cutting him off. “What do you mean, what ‘we needed’? I would assume men would flip the other way and say they neededmorewomen in the relationship rather than two guys sharing one. And how does it work? Are you saying you share her time fifty-fifty, or do you doeverythingtogether?” That heat from earlier flared back to life, scorching me from the inside out. Thank fuck it was dark inside the cab, or he would see the evidence of what this conversation did to me on my flushed cheeks.

When he didn’t immediately respond to my slew of questions, anxiety spiked, making my stomach drop, worried I’d pushed him too far.

I fiddled with the ends of my hair, keeping my eyes lowered. “You don’t have to answer any of that. Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. Sometimes I let my curiosity run my mouth?—”

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